


The Next Three Years

by think_blot



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, Meet the Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-23 05:00:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30050268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/think_blot/pseuds/think_blot
Summary: The past three years of your life were the best they could possibly be all because of Spencer Reid. You wish you could take the next step but his job keeps him from making it. Then he comes back from a case, ready for you to finally meet the team, and you’re none the wiser to what he has planned.
Relationships: Spencer Reid/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 36





	The Next Three Years

If you were being honest there was nothing wrong with your relationship with Spencer. The two of you barely fought, something you couldn’t say about your past relationships, and he was so caring that sometimes it made you want to cry. Somewhere down the line, you started thinking of him as your future, the one you’d spend the rest of your life with, and you couldn’t be happier. Except for the _only_ negative thing between the two of you; his job. You didn’t blame him because how could you? You knew how much his job meant to him and you weren’t about to take that away from him. His job was the reason you met after all so you had some reason to love it. Not to mention that his team was nothing less than his family and, even though you never met them, you knew they were the most important thing to him. But the weeks where there was no contact at all because he was too engrossed in a case or the times he came home worse off than when he left it put a strain on things. The only reason the two of you haven’t moved in together, haven’t taken that next step, is because he didn’t want you waiting for him in an empty apartment. Yet, that’s exactly what you were doing. You sat on your couch, your focus was split between your phone and the door, hoping he’d either call to let you know he was on his way or that he’d walk in with a big smile and open arms. After the first couple of months in your relationship, he realized that you were a worrier. You couldn’t help it. It seemed like anytime he left your sight he was getting hurt. So, he promised that no matter what time he got back or how tired he was, he would come to see you. In the beginning, he would just knock on the door, give you a kiss, and be on his way and that was more than enough. Now, he had the keys to your apartment and he knew that you would be waiting for him on the other side of the door.

It had been almost a month, a case in Alaska making communication hard for the entire team, and the only call you got was one saying that he was on his way back. That was eight hours ago and you were on the edge of your seat. You always tried to stay up for him, knowing that after a hard case seeing a familiar smile always made him feel better. But there were times where you were already asleep and he made his entrance by climbing in the bed behind you and holding you until the morning. You weren’t really sure who it was more for, you or him, and in the end, it didn’t really matter. He was perfect, in every way, shape, and form, and you tried not to let his job get in between the two of you. It had been almost three years and it was getting harder to look past everything but, still, you tried. For him.

The door didn’t open until well past midnight and Spencer walked into you knocked out on the couch, halfway onto the floor. He smiled, ignoring the twinge of pain from his freshly cut lip, and placed his bag on the floor. He loved coming home to you no matter the state but his favorite was when you were fast asleep. You could catch up in the morning when the two of you had morning breath and were still half asleep but, for now, all he wanted to do was look at you. His eyes traced every valley and hill on your face, relearning your beauty even though he could never forget it, and like magic, he was already starting to feel more human. He picked you up carefully, something you always questioned as to how he could, and carried you to your bedroom. His heart warmed at the sight of his pajamas already laid out for him and, not for the first time, he wondered what he did to deserve you. He settled on the better after getting ready and, in your sleep, you threw your arm over him and snuggled into his chest. He looked down at you with nothing but adoration, stroking your hair as you fell deeper and deeper into sleep, and he couldn’t contain his excitement for the coming days. The team was grounded after such a long case which meant he had all the time in the world with you, jobs be damned. He had plans, terrifying, life-changing plans, and all he could do was hope you liked them.

—-

You woke up with a smile on your face, the weight of his arm letting you know that he was actually here and it wasn’t just a dream. His thumb traced the exposed skin of your stomach, the sensation likely what woke you up, and you wondered how long he’s been up. You turned to see him immediately, surprising him with your sudden movement, and all you could do was smile. He was a bit beaten up; a cut on his lip and a bruise on his cheek letting you know he got hit by a gun. The worrywart in you wanted to scan every inch of his body to make sure he wasn’t too hurt but he pulled you closer, kissing you sweetly despite his injury, and the thought escaped your mind immediately. You pulled back, scrunching your nose as you did, “You have morning breath, love.” You whispered, not wanting to break the little bubble that the morning had created.

“So do you.” He whispered back, moving in to kiss you again. You could always tell how a case went by how he kissed you. Rough kisses, the ones that were more teeth clashing than lips meeting, meant someone had died. They would end with the both of you breathless, his eyes squeezed shut because the moment he met yours he knew he would cry. Desperate kisses scared you the most, the ones where the moment the door opened you were being pushed to the closest surface as he tried to touch as much as you as possible because it meant _he_ had almost died. Then there were times where he would come to your door and all he could do was hold you because the victim was too much like you for him to handle. But sweet kisses, sweet kisses like this were the best. He was soft and caring, taking his time relearning your mouth, and that meant everything was fine. It was probably a hard case but, in the end, the good guys won and he just wanted to celebrate by being with you.

“I missed you.” You breathed against his lips, keeping your eyes closed in case he disappeared under your fingertips.

“I missed you more.” He took your hand, leaving kitten-like kisses on each one waiting for you to look at you. You smiled when you did, unable to keep the happiness hidden when he was right in front of you. “So much that now we have two weeks all to ourselves.”

You sat up, staring at him like he had two heads. “Are you serious?!” He nodded, smiling so brightly that you almost didn’t want to kiss him just to see it a little longer. Almost.

“I’m taking that as you’re excited?” You hit him playfully as he laughed, settling down on his chest when the two of you calmed down. He stroked your arm, staring at the ceiling, and you could hear his heartbeat pick up. “What if- What if I wanted to introduce you to the team?” You looked up at him to see if he was serious but he was avoiding your gaze. You never had a problem that they didn’t know about you. He liked to keep his life private and, from what he told you, you knew that the moment they found out about you they’d never let him live it down. You couldn’t blame him for wanting to keep you to himself and after a while, you never really thought about it. You just enjoyed the stories of his family that he came home with every now and then. Your silence only made him more nervous. “Would,” He cleared his throat, “would you still be excited?”

You leaned up, pecking him on the lips, and looked him in the eyes when you said, “I would be _ecstatic_.” That smile you loved was back and, even though you were extremely nervous at the thought of meeting them, you were so happy to have put that look on his face.

—-

Unbeknownst to you, Spencer had more plans than just introducing you to the team and said other plans were the reason he was fumbling around so much. You stood outside a beautiful house, something quaint and homey that you could only assume was JJ’s, and watched him wring his fingers. “Hey.” You took his hand, swinging it slightly as he looked at you almost frightened, “I’m the one who’s supposed to be terrified, not you.” You said it with a smile, making sure he knew that you weren’t actually terrified. It was nerve-wracking knowing the people you had been hearing about for years were right behind that door but your excitement at meeting them was outweighing everything else.

He kissed the top of your forehead, pausing for a moment and just breathing. “You look beautiful.” He said, squeezing your hand as he did. You had gone simple, not really knowing what the dress code was for something like this. You kissed his hand, letting him know that you were ready whenever he was. He took another deep breath and headed towards the door.

An excited, smiling blonde was waiting for you before you could even knock and you knew immediately that the infamous Garcia was standing right in front of you. “Ah!” She shrieked, tugging you into a hug that felt way too natural for just meeting. She pulled back, looking you over like a proud mom before hugging you tight again. “It’s so nice to finally meet you!!”

Spencer chuckled from behind you, still holding onto your hand even though you were trying to return Garcia’s enthusiastic embrace. “You’ve only known about her for a week, Garcia.”

She let go of you to point at Spencer, “And that was two years too late, mister. I have catching up to do.” He raised his free hand in surrender and gestured for her to continue. She winked at you and stage whispered, “We’ll have girl talk later.” You giggled, whatever nerves you had flying out the window. “Now, c’ mon lovebugs everyone is excited to meet the girl who stole our genius’s heart.”

“Is this her house?” You whispered to Spencer as you followed her to where everyone else was.

He chuckled, “No, it’s not hers.” There was a blush on his cheeks that you didn’t quite understand. He was never one to blush when he was nervous but you’d be lying if you said it wasn’t adorable. You were about to ask why he was red all of a sudden when a pair of hands slapped his shoulders from behind.

“Pretty boy, you didn’t tell us she was _this_ out of your league.” The man’s eyes twinkled as he teased your boyfriend and you finally had a face to the Morgan you heard so much about.

“I’d argue that he’s the one out of league here.” You laughed, watching as Morgan rustled Spencer’s hair before heading to you.

“Beautiful _and_ delusional. You really got lucky, kid.” He chuckled, opening his arms with a question on his face and you couldn’t deny him a hug. He was practically Spencer’s big brother. You knew that the reason you still had a boyfriend was because of the man hugging you and that he did everything in his power to make sure he was safe. “Name’s Derek, sweetheart. Everyone here calls me Morgan, though.”

“Thank you for protecting him.” You whispered, hoping that Spencer couldn’t hear you.

Luckily, Morgan did. “Thank you for being there.” You separated, a new understanding between the two of you as you smiled at each other. You had a lot of thank you’s to give out tonight.

“Did I miss something?” Spencer asked, adorably confused. Morgan laughed, hitting his shoulder and leaving to join everyone in the kitchen.

“Not at all, love.” You kissed his cheek and grabbed his hand again, dragging him to the kitchen. It was a bit strange that there were no pictures of family or any real decoration in the living room but you brushed it off and assumed whoever’s house this was had just moved in. You’d ask after dinner when you got to know everyone a little more.

“There they are! The couple of the hour.” An older man raised his glass as you entered the room and you hoped you were right to guess that he was Rossi.

Another blonde laughed as she moved to hug Spencer. You felt your heart tug as you saw him return it and you knew that had to be JJ. She was the one he trusted the most and you knew from experience how rare it was for him to let people in. It was one thing to hear him say he loved them and another to see just how much he did. “Ignore him and Hotch, they’ve had a bit too much to drink.”

“Not enough, you mean!” Rossi interjected.

“That explains why Hotch is smiling,” Spence said, a little quieter so his boss wouldn’t hear.

She stared at you for a moment while two other women greeted Spencer. She was the only one who knew he was seeing someone, he could never hide much from her, but she never knew your name or what you looked like. She had heard him gush about you from the very first date, she had been there for every insecurity he had and every milestone he didn’t know how to celebrate, and seeing you was somewhat staggering. You were having the same experience, only able to look at her as you remembered every story Spence had told you about her boys and how much he cared about them. She had done more than accepted him; she understood him. She let out a breath that sounded like it was supposed to be a laugh, her eyes slightly watery, “I’m JJ.”

“Y/N.” You’d be lying if you said you weren’t a little emotional too. She hugged you tightly, thanking you for more than you could ever know without saying a word. You hoped she understood that you were doing the same.

“This is Emily and Tara.” She gestured to the girls after the two of you collected yourselves You waved, all hugged out already but, luckily, they didn’t seem like they needed one.

“Heard a whole lot about you this week.” Tara smiled. “Couldn’t get the guy to stop talking about you once he started.”

“Imagine if we knew the whole time. Oof.” Emily shook her head, giving Spencer a small smirk to know she was joking.

“Quick, before they corrupt you.” He moved you away from the girls, leaving them laughing behind him, and headed towards the island where Rossi and Hotch were. “You okay?” He whispered, rubbing the small of your back calmingly.

“What did I do to deserve you?” You mumbled, somewhat lost in the moment and his eyes.

“I ask myself that every day.” He kissed your temple, smiling when Morgan wolf-whistled. “Now let’s get something to eat.”

—-

The night started to die down and one by one everyone left. You and JJ were still talking over a glass of wine when Spencer came back into the kitchen, having just finished his goodbyes. “You’re kidding.” You laughed, the wine making it last longer than it should’ve.

JJ shook her head violently, making you laugh even more. “Shhh.” She held a finger to her lips, sloppily, side-eyeing Spencer as he came back into the room. You mimicked her, tilting in your seat as you did.

“I’m going to regret this, aren’t I?” He sighed.

“You didn’t tell me you tried to date JJ!” You exclaimed, unable to keep your mouth closed. “That’s so cute.” You drawled it out, your voice way too high pitched but JJ was right with you on the wine drunk front so you weren’t thinking too much about it. Garcia had been too but that’s why she had to leave, hanging on Morgan as he dragged her to his car. Spencer was probably about to do the same to you.

“Oh no.” He groaned, sitting next to you and pulling your chair closer despite his embarrassment. You leaned into him, out of love and lack of balance, fully ready to ask if you could sleepover at your new friend’s house.

“You guys are so cute.” JJ pouted like she was talking about a puppy. Her phone went off and she sighed when she read the text, “Will’s here. I gotta get going.”

“Wait.” You sat up, staring at her in confusion. She smiled as she saw how nervous Spencer was next to you. “What? I thought _this_ was your house.”

She shook her head and you turned to Spencer for answers. “Spence?”

The smile on his face was one you knew well. It was the smile he had before he asked you out, the same one he wore when he asked you to be his girlfriend, and when he first asked you to spend the night. It was a smile that led to first, something nervous and small that you saw as only for you. “It’s ours.” He said outright. You stared at him, blinking slowly while you tried to process what he said. “If you want.”

JJ blew kisses as she rushed towards the door, leaving the two of you alone in the house. In your house. “Ours?” You squeaked.

He nodded, “I know it’s small but I figured we didn’t need much space. I know you always wanted to get a cat and your building doesn’t allow them and I figured we could start looking after we moved in so that when I’m gone you’re not _alone_ alone.” He was talking fast, your wine idled mind barely keeping up but with each word the smile grew more and more on your face. “And I should’ve asked, I really should’ve just asked, I’m sorry but we’ve been talking about it more lately and I should’ve done this years ago but I was scared. Not that I’m not scared now because of course I am but it was different-” You stopped him with a kiss, something slow and sweet that allowed him to take a breath. You touched the side of his face, staring into the eyes of the man you knew you would marry, sitting in your kitchen and you couldn’t help the couple of tears that fell out. You looked around, seeing the place with new, hopeful eyes.

“I love it. I love it so much.” You choked out. You grabbed his face and made sure he knew you were telling the truth. There was no room for doubt in him, not with you. Not with this. “I love you.”

“I’m gonna marry you someday.” He said absentmindedly like he was just talking out loud and you couldn’t hear.

“Don’t wait another three years to.”


End file.
